Drones and Redtape

All sorts of places want a 1/2 mil or 1 mil insurance umbrella policies especially with the larger drones. I guess they are afraid of errant fly aways that will take out something very expensive or injure individuals. I would expect to see that more and more often even for hobbyists. I talked to an insurance company rep who specifically dealt with drone policies at the PPA convention (professional photographers of America) just a couple weeks ago and was sent a quote of just over $800 a year.
 
Honestly you'd be VERY wise to obtain an aviation policy just in case regardless where you're flying. $500K is pretty much the MIN. Depending on where you fly you may be required to have a lot more. One place we were bidding to fly a job required $10M in liability (we didn't put in a bid for that one).

$500K and $1M are pretty commonly asked for and $5M isn't unheard of either now.
 
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If you are in the US, use Verifly. It is $10 per hour for $1 million coverage. Instant coverage for a very limited area.
 
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Hello,

Last Fall, I inquired about flying at the local university since their policy indicated that hobbyists were allowed to fly at a grass field on the edge of campus. I thought it might be a good location for aerial shots, so I contacted the person mentioned and literally after just a few emails of conflicting info I just forgot about it...

Until a week or so ago, the university published an article on the commercial drone pilots allowed to fly at the university and the ONE hobbyist allowed to fly there.
I tried once more, and this time I was led to an online form to fill out. I provided info on my drone, weight, picture, etc. and stated my reasons for wanting to fly in the only place that was permitted. A seven member drone panel had to approve my request. The police woman on the committee was concerned about privacy, so I assured her that that at the altitude I would be flying(hovering) that people would be unidentifiable. She was okay with that. A day or so later, I get an email from the guy in charge saying that the committee APPROVED my request to fly, but I needed to provide a certificate of insurance.

It turns out that you have to have $500,000 liability insurance to fly even as a hobbyist. I checked with my insurance agent and he had never heard of such a thing but would check into it. I checked online and discovered that $500,000 liability insurance on drones would cost me from $800 to $1000 a year.

I doubt that I would have flown there more than once or twice and not for that about of money.

I now understand why they have only one hobbyist who flies there.

Sounds to me they don't want people to fly in that field--the guy in charge mentioned in one email that he doubted I would capture anything of interest at the only place I was allowed to fly--and why not mention the INSURANCE right from the start?

That's what I get for trying to follow the rules.
Dancer: Well, well, a very unpleasant lesson for you about rules. There was a discussion on here the other day about the 400ft RECOMMENDED max height, and of course following rules vs breaking rules. We rule breakers were seen as scofflaws, of course. I might point you to the one group of rule makers, possibly the highest paid most professional group of rule makers on earth -----our CONGRESS.

When you give people the power to make rules which apply to everyone but themselves, it is surprising how many rules are suddenly needed.
 
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In the UK I have joined the BMFA which is an organisation covering rc models which includes 10 million public liability insurance for just £33 a year. Don't you have something similar in the USA.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots
 
but only kicks in after you've exhausted your own insurance.
 
And a few caveats too!
 
In the U.S., joining the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) comes with liability insurance.

Academy of Model Aeronautics
Yes but will the AMA designate the Trustees of said university as Certificate Holder and the university named Additional Insurer because that's what the university's policy dictates.

My insurance agent said he had never heard of such a condition.

I take it that AMA's liability insurance is less than the 800 to $1000 a year range for $500,000?
 
If you are in the US, use Verifly. It is $10 per hour for $1 million coverage. Instant coverage for a very limited area.
I am aware of Verify but I doubt that the guy at the university is, at least it was never offered to me as a choice.
 
Verify could get expensive if you fly often or for longer periods. We reviewed Verify and it wouldn't take long to rack up some serious $$ flying by the hour.
 
I think I mentioned that I am a hobbyist although I have considered becoming commercial.
It isn't worth it for me to spend that much money just to fly at this field with tall weeds/grass a few times.

I guess I will stick to the private properties I have permission to fly at and a few other drone friendly areas.
Plus my homeowner's insurance covers me up to $100,000 liability.
 
Verify could get expensive if you fly often or for longer periods. We reviewed Verify and it wouldn't take long to rack up some serious $$ flying by the hour.
Verifly is great for recreational and commercial users because it's fly-by-the-hour with no commitment for any drone under 15lbs with no commitment and fully supports additional insureds. Traditional policies are $800-1000 per drone, you get charged more if you want to fly additional drones which most recreational and commercial operators do.

Jay
 
Yes but will the AMA designate the Trustees of said university as Certificate Holder and the university named Additional Insurer because that's what the university's policy dictates.

I take it that AMA's liability insurance is less than the 800 to $1000 a year range for $500,000?
I have no idea to the first part. For the second, the insurance is included withe membership, $2.5 million coverage with a $250 deductible.
 
I have no idea to the first part. For the second, the insurance is included withe membership, $2.5 million coverage with a $250 deductible.

I wound up going with AMA and the university accepted their insurance without having to name the Trustees, blah, blah...

So I can now fly officially at the university field
 

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